Ask YC: What's a co-founder?

[hacker64]

If my co-founder has 10% equity, does he count as a cofounder in the YC application form? How about 5%? There are always cases where co-founders contribute differently and the percentage is divided accordingly. How does this play into the YC formula?

[pg]

In practice there is usually a clear distinction between founders and people who are given a little stock for doing something for the company. The former are cofounders.

It would be rare for a cofounder of a non-broken company to have as little as 5%.

[hacker64]

> It would be rare for a cofounder of a non-broken company to have as little as 5%.

Good point.